SPORTS BRIEFING: MARATHON

SPORTS BRIEFING: MARATHON; Kennedy to Run New York

By Frank Litsky

Published: May 13, 2004

Bob Kennedy, the United States' outstanding 5,000-meter runner of the 1990's, announced yesterday that he would make his marathon debut Nov. 7 in the New York City Marathon.

''This seems to be the right time,'' Kennedy, 33, said at a news conference. ''In an ideal world, I would have run one already, maybe a couple of years ago, but my body wouldn't let me. This is the next available opportunity.''

In 1996 Kennedy became was the first non-African to run the 5,000 meters in less than 13 minutes (only one other has done it since). In the Olympic 5,000, he finished 12th in 1992 and 6th in 1996. He did not qualify for the Olympic team in 2000. His immediate goal is to make this year's Olympic team at 10,000 meters. Frank Litsky